After listening to the video of Greg Ellis at the Men, Mingle & Mental Health Mixer posted by Law Nation Media, my takeaway was pretty simple: he didn’t sound like a guy selling the normal Cowboys offseason hype. Instead, he spoke like a guy who has been there before.
Ellis was asked about the Cowboys moving to a 3-4 base-type defense, and the thing he said that stuck with me was:
“The verdict is still out.”
We can sit here at the beginning of July and Monday morning quarterback the heck out of this change, but I see why Dallas wants to do this.
Bigger bodies inside, more pressure looks, and less of the same ol’ defense we have seen since Dan Quinn left for Washington. I like it, but Ellis made it clear that you don’t take one lineman off the field, stand up the edge rushers, and suddenly fix everything.
Ellis reflected on his own experience when Bill
Everyone’s assignment will change in this defense. Especially the guys closest to the line of scrimmage. If Christian Parker gets this wrong, we will know very fast.
Greg Ellis Put the Biggest Question Mark on the Middle
If you watch the video, Greg Ellis did not dance around the most important part of a 3-4 defense.
“You need bigger, stronger defensive lineman.”
For too long with the Cowboys defense, I feel like they have looked fast when teams had to throw, then too small when the offense lined up and ran right at them.
I love speed, but I’m tired of watching the other team punch the defense in the mouth. That’s where Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark come in as big defensive ends and Otito Ogbonnia and Jay Toia, at least on paper, make the middle of the defense look massive.
We don’t need those guys chasing sacks every time, just handle the assignment given and let the guys behind them work. I want these guys taking blocks, clogging lanes, and keeping the linebackers from getting taken out of the play.
It may not be pretty football, but it is winning football if Dallas finally commits to it.
Ellis said it himself.
“It takes time for that chemistry to develop.”
Chemistry will be the key to unlocking this defense’s potential. If the bigs do what they are supposed to, and they trust the backend guys to do their jobs. We could see the chemistry develop in real time.
Sam Williams Cannot Become the Experiment
Greg Ellis brought up Sam Williams because he knows what it’s like moving from defensive end to a stand-up outside linebacker.
Bill Parcells famously changed the Cowboys from a 4-3 to a 3-4 when he took over coaching duties for the Cowboys back in 2003.
Ellis brought up Sam Williams because he remembered how uncomfortable a transition it was for him. The weirdest part for Ellis was dropping into coverage. He talked about that aspect.
“That dropping in coverage, that’s a whole new element.”
I like that quote because it applies to Sam Williams. He can help Christian Parker if he’s attacking downhill, rushing from different spots, and making tackles to deal with his burst. What scares me is thinking about Williams chasing tight ends and running backs.
Greg Ellis told a story about getting stuck against running back Adrian Peterson when playing the Minnesota Vikings. I thought it was a funny story, but then thought to myself, offenses hunt matchups and if they find a pass rusher who can’t survive in open space, they will pick on him.
I have faith in Christian Parker, but I hope this doesn’t turn into a project linebacker situation. I don’t want to see Sam Williams chasing matchups he is not built to handle.
The Greg Ellis Statement that Says It All
I think Greg Ellis summed up the defensive switch well with one sentence.
“Hopefully they got the players that can do it.”
There it is. We all know this Cowboys defensive switch means nothing if the personnel doesn’t fit.
New doesn’t always mean better, I think all us Cowboys fans know that better than most.
We need this defense to match the call sheet to the roster. Use the 3-4 to free up the right guys and Dallas could finally look tougher on defense and less predictable.
If a player is asked to do a job they aren’t built for, we could all watch this thing go sideways real quick.
I like the direction, but I’m not completely sold just yet. Greg Ellis basically said the same thing: “The verdict is still out.”
Dallas did more than just tweak the front. We have watched guys be handed new jobs, and now we get to find out which ones actually fit.
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